


Solstice

by DaiyoukaiGeisha



Category: InuYasha - A Feudal Fairy Tale
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Complete, Developing Relationship, Drama, Erotica, F/M, Fluff, Kink, Romance, Smut
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-14
Updated: 2015-04-14
Packaged: 2018-03-22 19:16:38
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 13,488
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3740515
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DaiyoukaiGeisha/pseuds/DaiyoukaiGeisha
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>He didn't believe that love and commitment were possible. She wanted to prove him wrong.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. April Showers :: Spring

**Author's Note:**

> This is a four chapter story broken up by season (spring, summer, fall, winter) based on a LiveJournal writing challenge. It's strictly AU (no time-traveling via old wells) and set in modern day where humans and demons co-exist. All the lemony/limey goodness is dedicated to sugar0o (from dokuga.com), who drove crazy in my other stories by marrying/pairing either Sesshoumaru or Kagome off to other people, lol.
> 
> Disclaimer - Inuyasha and all characters associated to that intellectual property belong to Rumiko Takahashi and Viz. This story, including all places, people, or objects, is written for non-profit entertainment purposes only.

"Are you sure you don't want me to come over?" said Sango over the phone. She wanted to make one last ditch effort to comfort her friend in person. Kagome had sounded listless for days. It was clear her friend needed a shoulder to cry on. Solitude was a poor companion.

"I'm positive Sango," replied Kagome. "Honestly, there's nothing to worry about. We both knew this was a long time in coming."

Kagome had called off the wedding. Hojo, not putting up much of a fight, agreed. It was an amicable separation. They had been drifting apart for months. The wedding arrangements, parties, and well-wishes should have brought them closer together. Instead, it widened the rift between them.

When Hojo came home a few weeks ago and told her about his promotion she had been ecstatic. They never begrudged each other their accomplishments, it was one of the reasons they had become so close. Unfortunately Hojo's greatest accomplishment would require an even greater sacrifice on her part. His new appointment was in the United States, effective immediately.

Kagome did not want to leave Japan. Her career was also on the rise and her own promotion was just around the corner. Moving to the United States would destroy all that.

It was the first time they ever had a vicious argument. In the end, after the shouting ceased and their heads cooled, both of them saw their relationship for what it was. They simply did not love each other as much as they loved their work. They couldn't marry each other, because they had already married their jobs.

Kagome walked over to the window and watched the raindrops slip down the glass. "Besides," she continued, sensing Sango's rising concern. "It's terrible outside. Nobody should be driving in this. So I'll talk to you later, alright?"

"Ok," replied Sango, in a tone that seemed to express the exact opposite. "But call me tomorrow."

Kagome hung up, continuing to look at the glass, and watched the tiny water droplets trace patterns on the window. She hadn't lied, it was a miserable day. A dark gloomy day that reflected her mood and she wanted nothing more than to walk outside and embrace it.

Kagome didn't bother with an umbrella. She walked out the back door, past the dry expanse of the awning into the backyard, right into that cold, harsh, rain. It didn't take long for her to get drenched and she ran her hands through her hair as the wet strands plastered to her skin.

Hojo picked up the last of his belongings that morning. They spoke only for a brief moment before he left. The conversation was forgettable. Both of them using cordial banal questions and comments to mask their feelings. Now he was gone, and their home seemed as vacant as her heart. She stood in the rain and finally allowed herself to cry.

Kagome lost herself in the white noise of the storm and tilted her head up to the sky letting the cool water hit her face. It was strangely cathartic, as if the Earth's tears were washing away her own. Maybe when the rain stopped and the sun came out she would feel renewed or at least ready to move on. She hoped so.

"You are going to catch cold."

Kagome did not need to look in order to know who it was. She always seemed to be able to feel him whenever he was close by. He claimed it was a latent ability. A power she was wasting by refusing to exploit it. She said he found too much enjoyment in exploiting everything, that there was more to life than power.

It was a odd sensation, like a static charge skimming across the fine hairs on her skin, but it wasn't painful. It was almost relaxing, a feather touch against her senses. This feeling was particular to him, a marker that was one-of-a-kind. Even if she had not sensed him, she would have still known who it was. Sesshoumaru's voice was as distinct as the dangerous power he radiated, as soothingly seductive as the force she felt prickle against her body.

Sango and the rest of her friends never understood why she befriended someone like him. He was icy, aloof, and had absolutely no qualms with using people for his own gain. Kagome knew that was all true, but she also thought he was brilliant, interesting, and incredibly attractive. Unfortunately, so did a lot of other women.

Kagome flat out refused to be like all those other females. Instead she only offered friendship to a demon that was notorious for giving most people, especially humans, the brush off. To the amazement of many, Sesshoumaru not only accepted her offer but returned it. She would always remember the day she broke through his defenses.

"What," he had said disdainfully, throwing a glare at the bento box, "is that?"

"It's called 'lunch'. Since you couldn't go out for some I figured I'd pick something up for you," she said pleasantly.

He had refused to eat with her every time she asked, but Kagome was undeterred. She refused to believe he was as cold as he acted.

Sesshoumaru got up and walked around his desk. Then he shoved the box with just enough force and accuracy to make it slide across the table right into the trash bin. He was on top of her so fast that she stumbled back a step.

"You are buying me lunch now?" He said mockingly. "What is to occur next? Dinner?" He let his eyes slide down her body suggestively and put a bit of heat into his next words. "Perhaps breakfast?"

Her mouth became a tight line and she stood up straight, looking him right in the eye. Her voice never wavered.

"Don't think you can speak to me like all the other tramps that come trotting through here. I've been nothing but nice to you Sesshoumaru. Given our business relationship I've treated you only with respect. If you are unable or unwilling to do the same, then all you need to do is say so. I'm done wasting my time here."

Then she turned around and walked out not bothering to wait for his response. The next day, much to the delight of the gossip mongers in the office, he joined her for lunch.

She was the only female Sesshoumaru considered to be a true equal and not a servant or a plaything. Despite the rumblings of the gossips, Kagome cherished their friendship. Demons and humans rarely mixed socially and she recognized how singular their relationship was. That's not to say there wasn't tension between them, lingering thoughts of taking it past simple camaraderie. There was, but neither of them ever stepped forward to cross that line.

Kagome wiped the water from her eyes before she looked at him. "Why are you here? Is it your birthday or something?"

This was a running in-joke between them. He would disappear for weeks or months and when he reappeared she would ask him if it was his birthday.

Demons did not celebrate birthdays and Kagome had always itched to know what his true age was. Sesshoumaru would torture her by never revealing it, but sometimes he would say something, an old turn of phrase, an outdated reference, and it would expose just how long-lived he really was.

Of course, every time she saw him he looked like he hadn't aged a day. She would tease him about that too. He claimed that he was indeed aging. Despite popular belief, demons could grow elderly, the process was merely more gradual. If Kagome lived to see 100, Sesshoumaru would probably look like he was just scratching 30. She tried not to let that fact bother her, sometimes she succeeded.

"Oh I know," she said mockingly. "You're here to tell me, 'I told you so'?"

He remained under the awning, leaning on one of the banisters. "Perhaps," he said casually.

Sesshoumaru didn't believe in commitment and he definitely saw little value in marriage. When Kagome told him about her engagement, he told her point blank that she was wasting her time and it wouldn't last. She knew how he felt about relationships but that didn't keep her from getting angry.

The irony was that Sesshoumaru was the one who introduced her to Hojo. By all rights he should have taken pride of place at their wedding since he had unwittingly been the matchmaker. Instead he told her not to bother sending him a wedding invitation.

She had accused him of being jealous. Sesshoumaru actually laughed, a rare event, and said soberly, "Kagome, If I were jealous you would know it...so would Hojo." Kagome believed him. She knew he could be vicious in order to get his way. He had never been cruel to her, but she knew what he was capable of. She saw that cruelty cast with wicked effect on others that he held no respect for.

They continued to yell at each other right in the middle of a crowded restaurant. Well, _she_ had yelled. Sesshoumaru just countered every word she said in that calm blasé manner that drove her to distraction. That was the last time they had spoken to each other. Now he was back, and she knew he would never completely apologize for what he said that day. Why should he? He was right.

Kagome snorted and walked back under the awning. "Wonderful. You can leave now," she said coolly.

He crossed his arms. "You can lash out at me if you like, but I will not leave until I choose to." Then his tone changed, becoming slightly warmer than usual. "I did not come to gloat Kagome."

She sighed and slightly slumped, feeling tired. "I'm sorry," she whispered.

Without preamble, he took off his jacket and gave it to her. She simply took it and slipped it over her shoulders. In truth, she _was_ freezing. Standing out in the frigid air and pouring rain with only a t-shirt, jeans, and a pair of thin socks. Not very bright, and she probably would get sick later, but right now she felt good. It was the first time in weeks that she did not feel alone.

Kagome was usually the first one to verbally apologize whenever they argued. Sesshoumaru only asked for forgiveness on very few occasions and even then he never did it vocally. Giving her his jacket was his awkward way of saying, "I'm sorry too."

Sesshoumaru looked behind her to the half-closed door that lead back into the house. "I see he has already moved out."

She wrapped the jacket tighter around her. It was warm and it smelled like him, fresh and clean, like the air of a forest on a crisp spring day.

"Yeah," she replied softly. "He picked up the last of his stuff today. He-He's leaving for California soon."

Sesshoumaru heard the catch in her voice and looked back at her. He did not know the specifics about why they called off the wedding, but he knew enough to guess. One of the many things he admired about Kagome was that she was just as ambitious as he was. Her work meant everything to her and she would never simply pick up and leave it behind. Obviously, Hojo was of the same mindset.

"I see," he said carefully, taking in her appearance. She looked like she had not slept or eaten. He would never admit it, but she worried him.

"It's a great opportunity for him, really," she said defensively. "He'll be head of the entire department." She laughed and it lacked any humor. "I wouldn't be surprised if he takes over the whole division in less than a year. I-"

"Kagome," he interrupted quietly, stilling her ramble.

Kagome only babbled on about something when she was truly upset. Sure enough, as soon as she stopped talking Sesshoumaru saw her face fall just before the tears did. Normally, he would walk away or tell a crying female to dry up or something equally as scathing. He never cared for a woman's tears, but Kagome wasn't just any woman. Not to him.

Sesshoumaru pulled her to him gently and held her as she cried into his chest.

"You were right," she said through the tears. "Commitment is for suckers."

He stroked her back through the jacket, and replied flippantly. "Do not ever reveal that I said this, but I am not always correct."

He heard her sniffle and give a weak laugh at the statement. Sesshoumaru never joked. He was actually dead serious every time he spoke, but sometimes he said things in such a deadpan manner that she had to smile at it.

"You are not a fool," he added seriously. "You thought you loved him."

"I thought I did," she replied softly. "I thought he loved me too."

Sesshoumaru wiped a tear away from her cheek with his thumb and caught her eyes. They were wide, red rimmed, and shimmering with unshed tears. He had caught the eye of many females, demon and human, that were of great beauty. Even in their rheumy state, he never encountered a female with eyes as lovely as hers.

"I believe he did," he said honestly. "He would be a fool not to."

Before Kagome knew what she was doing she leaned into the hand that held her cheek. She was edging dangerously close to that line they refused to cross. Yet, it felt so good to have him there. He always seemed to be there whenever she needed him, and she needed him now.

Sesshoumaru claimed that the color of his irises was common in dog demon circles. Regardless, Kagome always thought his color was unique, a curious mix of warm gold and amber with minuscule flecks of green. Twin discs of mirrored bronze, rimmed in long black lashes, reflecting an ancient soul within.

Kagome felt herself moving forward, falling deeper and deeper into those pools of golden-amber and specks of green. The kiss was so light that both of them barely felt it. A brush of lips so soft that for a moment she thought she was daydreaming. Suddenly, she wanted to be in the rain again. She wanted to play out this dream and damn the consequences. So she let his jacket fall to the ground.

When she started stepping backward, out from under the awning, she took him with her. The hard rain soaked him through in no time at all and she ran her hands through his wet silver hair as she deepened the kiss between them.

Sesshoumaru also seemed lost in the frenzied moment. His hands found her waist at the same time her blunt nails grazed his scalp. He lifted her as if she weighed nothing and she wrapped her legs around him never breaking the kiss for a moment.

Kagome began it, but he took control. She felt a long tongue slip over her upper palette, toying with her own tongue in ways that made her body warm even in the chilly wind-swept rain. Their embrace burned her from the mouth down and she briefly pulled back to skim her lips over the markings on his cheekbones and slowly across the prussian blue crescent moon on his brow.

Sesshoumaru took the opportunity to run his mouth down her neck, placing sweltering kisses on every exposed inch of moist flesh. He sucked hard enough that it left marks on her skin and was rewarded with a soft moan each time. She ran a finger over the point of a sensitive ear and it made him shudder and suck harder. They were feeding off of each other's need, lost in a whirlwind of ecstasy that only pure lust could bring.

She rubbed against him through their clothing, luxuriating in the hard body sliding wetly against her own. Her heart was thudding and each languid thrust against him made her moans grow louder. With damp hands she managed to unlatch the top buttons on his dress shirt and slip her hands as far as they could go over his rain-soaked upper chest. When she tweaked a nipple and ground against him roughly, she felt the hardness of him even through her jeans. Sesshoumaru felt his libido begin to spiral out of control and began to thrust back just as fiercely.

Their combined actions forced a low growl from him and it was the sound of his voice that broke him away from the passion of the moment. Sesshoumaru stopped his ministrations, but Kagome barely noticed. She continued to grind against him, pulling at him desperately to finish what she started. But he couldn't do it. He hadn't come to seduce her, only check on her to see if she was alright.

If it had been anyone else, he would have proceeded. It wouldn't have been the first time. If a female offered herself in grief only to have misgivings later that was hardly his concern. But this female was his friend, perhaps his only true friend. Sleeping together while Kagome was so emotionally unstable wouldn't do either of them any good. She had crossed the line, but he was the one who decided to push her back to the other side.

Sesshoumaru pulled away and forced her legs to drop from his waist. Kagome blinked rapidly like she was coming out of a deep sleep.

"Wh-what?" she said, still half dazed. "I thought-"

"No," he said firmly. "If you wish to rebound Kagome, find someone else. I refuse to play that part, even for you." He pulled her back under the awning and picked up his discarded jacket, tugging it around her. "Besides," he continued. "We both know you will regret it afterward."

He walked to the back door leaving her there huddled in his jacket. She did not try to call him back. When Sesshoumaru made up his mind about something it was damn near impossible to change it.

"Do not go to work tomorrow," he said pointedly over his shoulder, and with that last comment he left.

Sesshoumaru knew her all too well. If she went to work she would drown herself in paperwork in order to shut the world out. She would bury herself in meetings and proposals until he was forced to dig her out again. Going to bed with her best friend would not ease her loneliness. Working herself into a stupor wasn't going to assuage it either.

Kagome pulled his jacket even tighter around her and took a deep breath to slow her heart, trying to erase the carnal image of them grinding against each other in the rain. She really needed a warm shower and a hot cup of tea right now. Tomorrow she would give Sango a call and ask if she wanted to do something, anything. The weatherman said the rain would finally stop tonight. Mother Nature was obviously tired of grieving, and so was she.


	2. Heatwave :: Summer

The conference call was grueling. A long distance phone meeting with awful reception, an executive on the other end with a monotone voice that could lull an insomniac into a deep slumber, and on top of it all she was barely prepared. Kagome scrambled around her desk trying to get her act together as the man on the phone continued to drone on.

After her unexpected last encounter with Sesshoumaru, Kagome took a few weeks off from her job. Her boss thought her request for a leave of absence was a joke at first. Her well-earned nickname around the office was "Workaholic Woman" after all. Everyone, close friends included, were shocked that she even knew what "vacation time" was.

In retrospect, it was the best idea she ever had. For the first time in years she took the opportunity to sit back and do all those little things she kept putting on hold. She repainted the walls in the spare bedroom. She went hiking with Sango and her husband Miroku on the weekends. She even started gardening again, a long abandoned hobby that she missed more than she realized.

By the time her vacation was over, Kagome felt well and truly at peace with her decision not to get married. Unfortunately, her sabbatical wasn't long enough to sort out her feelings for her demonic best friend. Sesshoumaru called her a few times while she was on leave and she never managed to work up the nerve to return his messages.

Kagome knew it was silly, but she was still embarrassed about that day they stood in the rain together. She figured Sesshoumaru was probably completely over it, he never seemed to dwell on past deeds, but that didn't ease her conscience very much.

She climbed all over him like a slut in her opinion. Sure, she was grieving, seeking comfort under extreme circumstances, but it still ate at her. She saw how other women acted around him. It was pure comedy how they fell on each other like rabid wolves just to be the first person to get him a cup of coffee. Kagome actually saw one woman trip another in order to get into the elevator with him alone.

Kagome had sworn that she wouldn't be like any of those other toadying females. Now that vow seemed incredibly hollow. If he had not put an end to what she began on that rainy day, she would have slept with him right in her own backyard! It was a humbling thought to realize that she was just as susceptible to wantonness as all those other women.

Kagome was determined to take some measures to rectify her jumbled feelings for her close friend. So, she decided that it was about time she started dating again. Miroku introduced her to a good friend of his named Akitoki on one of their hiking excursions. He seemed like a nice guy and he was obviously interested in her. At the end of their trip he even offered to take her out sometime.

To be bluntly honest he _did_ remind her of Hojo quite a bit, same manner, same easy smile, but maybe she was being unfair. She should at least give the man a chance, play the field a bit. Dating sounded like a good first step in burying the unnerving thoughts and mild guilt that plagued her surrounding Sesshoumaru. If she survived this phone meeting, perhaps she would give Akitoki a call.

Kagome had no idea how topsy-turvy her day was truly going to become as the demon she hoped to dodge a little while longer walked straight into her office without knocking. Sesshoumaru never bothered with useless formalities. He smelled her in her office, sensed her distress, there was simply no need to knock in his opinion. Besides, she had not returned any of his calls. He knew Kagome had some issues to work out and respected her desire to keep a little distance, especially considering what almost occurred between them. Now he decided that her "alone time" was over.

Sesshoumaru swept into her office, immediately pushing a few folders to the side before leisurely sitting on the corner of her desk.

"What the hell are you doing?" she snapped harshly, double-checking to make sure the phone was on mute. Her day was going horribly so far and he was the last person she wanted to face today.

He ignored her tone and raised a slender eyebrow at the disaster that was her office. She was usually meticulous before the start of any meeting. Didn't she just return from vacation? Instead of looking refreshed, Sesshoumaru thought she looked more stressed and disheveled than ever.

"It is your lunch hour, is it not?" he replied patiently. "I am taking you to lunch."

Kagome sifted through a few papers in a huff. "You could have called me," she grumped.

He nodded. "I could have," he replied nonchalantly. "Would you have answered?"

She refused to meet his eyes.

Technically Sesshoumaru could order her to lunch. He wasn't her boss, not exactly, but he owned a substantial part of the corporation she worked for. Refusing to attend lunch with one of the big cheeses was a sure fire way of committing career suicide.

Luckily, she didn't need to worry about that. Sesshoumaru would never pull rank on her for something as trivial as lunch. He respected her too much to _force_ her to do anything, but that didn't mean he wouldn't try to cajole her into doing what he wanted. Sometimes he could sway her, sometimes not. In the end the outcome didn't matter to him, he merely enjoyed their little verbal fencing matches.

"I can't go to lunch right now," Kagome said stiffly. "I'm in a meeting."

Undeterred, Sesshoumaru got up and walked around the desk to stand behind her. Kagome tried to follow his movements, but suddenly an exec on the call asked a question, one she was supposed to be answering.

She quickly unmuted the phone. "Oh yes, I'm here," she said into the speaker hurriedly. "My apologizes, let me try to address your question."

As Kagome floundered for a response, Sesshoumaru leaned over her shoulder and pressed a button on the phone, effectively disconnecting her call.

Kagome's mouth dropped open. "What the-You! Do you realize what you just did!? This isn't a game Sesshoumaru that's an important account!"

"That account is hardly important. It is minor at best, I should know." He clicked another button that silenced the ringer before continuing, "The reception on that call was horrid. Send them an email and say you were disconnected."

He leaned back and put his hands on her shoulders. She was wound up so tight he thought she would snap in half. "You _were_ disconnected, were you not?" he added logically.

She squirmed in her chair, feeling a little disturbed by their close proximity, but kept her voice level. "It must be so nice to do whatever you want and have an answer for everything," she replied sarcastically.

He kept his hands on her shoulders, ignoring her slight unease. "Yes, it does have its moments."

Kagome blew out a breath that ruffled her bangs. Alright, she honestly had no good reason to be sharp with him. In a way, this was her karmic payback for giving him the brush off. He absolutely hated to be ignored, she knew that. Actually, she was moderately surprised that he waited this long to confront her.

Kagome rubbed her temples. "Sesshoumaru, I-"

She was about to apologize and promise to talk to him later, but the words stuck in her throat when he started to massage her shoulders. She should have pulled away, told him to stop, but heaven preserve her it felt good. Despite herself, she started leaning into his touch before she realized what she was doing.

"This isn't a good idea," she breathed, only partly meaning it.

Strong tapered fingers rubbed slow firm circles on her shoulders and she began to melt into her office chair. She unconsciously made tiny quiet moans as her friend smoothed the tightness out of her muscles with each movement.

"Nonsense," he replied, smirking slightly at the small sounds she made. "This is nothing. You need to relax."

Sesshoumaru did show up to take her to lunch, that was true. However, he sized up Kagome's inner turmoil in about a minute. He had lived long enough and knew her well enough to figure out that work was not responsible for her stress level right now.

Kagome was still rattled by what they had almost done together. It was her disposition to mull a problem over and over in her mind, straining herself, until she sorted it out. Her capacity to think things through was one of the details that elevated her above other females in his mind. Now, he was putting them both back into the same awkward position they narrowly escaped the last time, knowing that she was hardly in the right frame of mind to deal with it.

He wasn't trying to manipulate her, not really. The more possessive part of his being already claimed her as his in an abstract way. So, his desire to be close to her, to ease her anxiety, just seemed to come naturally. He genuinely cared for her, but he outright refused to love her or anyone.

Sesshoumaru learned a very long time ago that love was transient. His father had allowed that fickle emotion to ruin him. One of the greatest demons ever to walk the Earth betrayed his family and his people for a woman he claimed to love. A female who later deceived him and aided others in his destruction.

Centuries had passed since his father's death, but the lesson was ingrained in his mind forever. Love led to nothing but pain. Lust was good enough for him, and a more useful emotion in his opinion. Lust could be just as gratifying as love and it was also a lot less painful.

Sesshoumaru watched Kagome's head loll to the side as she relaxed even further into his touch. He was a selfish being, he never denied that. Acting on lust and instinct was well and good for him, but not fair to her. Desire and sex was one thing, commitment and monogamy was another. He knew Kagome would want the latter if they acted on the former.

The debate raging in his head on whether to obliterate the sexual line in the sand between them was currently at a stalemate, but he knew that wouldn't last long. Not at this rate, not with the scene of her wet body pressed against his etched into his memory. Kagome wasn't the only one rattled by what occurred on that rainy spring day.

Sesshoumaru bent down to her ear, and said softly, "Stand up."

Kagome could barely think straight. She stood up carefully, struggling with her emotions the entire time. What was wrong with her? Why couldn't she stop herself? Maybe the stress of the day had finally gotten to her because she was slipping back into the same vicious trap that started to take shape in her backyard.

Sesshoumaru moved his hands from her shoulders and down her back, keeping the pressure equal the entire way down. He saw the creamy clear skin on her cheeks take on a rosy color at the same moment he heard her heartbeat increase, and Kagome let out another small moan.

Suddenly he wanted to see more than her face blush under his gaze. He wanted to see her whole body covered in that dusty rose-color as she lay naked and moaning beneath him. He wanted her. It was that cut and dry. The debate was coming to a close and the darker side of his nature was winning. The hot flash of desire he experienced in the rain that day paled in comparison to what he felt now.

A blind man could see where this was heading and Sesshoumaru knew it would only end badly if not handled properly. So he decided that the final choice in this situation would be hers to make. Last time he was the one to pull away, this time the only one who could end this was her.

When he started pulling her shirt up from behind, Kagome stilled his hands by turning around to face him.

She swallowed hard enough to hurt. "W-what are you doing?"

"Taking your shirt off," he said bluntly. "The massage will feel better with less clothing."

She closed her eyes and took a long deep breath before she could find her voice again. "Sesshoumaru, what's going on between us?" she asked. She was surprised the words sounded so calm, calmer than she felt.

He completely untucked her shirt before gliding his hands over her warming skin. Kagome felt the tickle of his claws over her stomach and around her waist. She took another deep breath and it did nothing to slow her heart.

Sesshoumaru pulled her closer to him. "It's called 'sexual tension' I believe."

His voice held a husky low quality she never heard before. Kagome felt her hands begin to tremble and she held on to him partly for support but mainly to convince herself that he was actually there, that this was really happening.

"So what do we do about it?" she asked, almost frightened to hear his response.

He pulled her closer still, until the only barrier between them was their clothing. "The only rational thing...try to alleviate it," he whispered hotly against her. She felt his lips sweep lightly across her own. "Don't you agree?"

This was a mistake. A bad idea that was turning worse every second. If they did what she knew they were about to, she couldn't blame it on grief later. Since he was essentially asking her if she wanted to continue, she couldn't claim he forced her into doing it either.

She knew him as well as he knew her. Kagome was well aware he was manipulating her in his way. _He_ wanted this, but he also wanted her to yield, to be the first one to take that step across the line once more. Maybe she was susceptible to all this seduction because in her darkest heart she had always wanted to give in, to admit that her previous vow to keep their relationship platonic was a boldfaced lie.

Was a mere moment of passion worth their friendship? Dear God, they were in her office as well. What if somebody walked in on them? The scandal of it all would devastate her reputation, not to mention her career. A career that she had given up marriage and a man she thought she loved to maintain.

There were so many good reasons why they shouldn't do this, but none of them moved her to stop. She simply **_wanted_** _,_ as carnal as that sounded, and the fact that he wanted her just as badly threw her headfirst over that formerly uncrossable line between them.

Her arms closed around him, hands slipping into that liquid silver fall of hair. "Yes," she said fiercely, gripping him tighter. "Oh yes."

It was as if the floodgates were opened and there was little finesse as they both tore at each other's clothing. Sesshoumaru shredded her shirt and the bra beneath. The strips of fabric hit the floor just before the articles on her desk did. The grappling didn't stop after the clothes came off either. He liked it rough...and so did she. Kagome's masochist tendencies were a deep dark secret between friends. Not even Hojo knew how rough she liked her sex to be.

Sesshoumaru threw her face down onto the desk with force enough to make her exhale hard as she landed on her stomach. Her legs dangled over the side and he kicked them further apart. Kagome tried to steady herself on her black high heels as she lay spread eagle before him.

The demon soaked in every curve, the slope of her back, the roundness of her ass. That wonderful pale rose blush had crept over every inch of her skin and his golden-amber eyes began to seep crimson fire.

Kagome felt his hands, those deliciously long-fingered hands, knead her muscles once again. He was harder this time, so rough that she was sure he left marks on her skin. She bit the side of her mouth to keep from crying out but the pain only made her libido swell.

Soon the kneading turned to clawing, fierce shallow slashes that filled the air with the scent of her own blood. Sesshomaru had not even entered her yet and she felt the tingly sensation of orgasm tickle her center. Kagome stuffed a fist in her mouth to hold back her scream.

Sesshoumaru knew how much she liked pain and he wanted to prolong it for as long as possible. He loved giving it as much as she loved recieving it. Kagome was very much like a demoness in that way.

He was rock hard as he thrust up against her core, teasing but never entering. Then he ran his talons down to her ass and gripped each cheek hard enough to leave angry red welts.

"Scream," he breathed, in a sultry lilt that made her teeth clamp down on her fist even harder. "I know you want to."

Instead she moaned into her fist, her eyes squeezed shut against the ecstasy of it. "MMMMnnnugh."

The claws on her ass forced themselves deeper into her flesh as he licked away runnels of blood from the wounds on her back.

"I will not let you come until I get my scream Kagome," he purred, sweeping a longish tongue over blood-smeared lips.

Kagome moaned even louder around her hand and thrust back against him. It actually made him laugh, a low vicious chuckle that made her ears burn, but he still refused to enter her. He began to slowly finger her instead. One slender digit, then two, then three. When he began to add the fourth she finally released her abused fist and cried out.

"Enough! Oh God Sesshoumaru, enough!" She clawed at the table beneath her as she felt her pussy contract around his fingers, felt her wetness begin to slide down her legs.

"Better, but that was more a tiny shout than a true scream," he chided, then pulled his fingers away, leaving her empty.

Before she could protest, he lifted her upper body by the strands of her midnight black hair harshly, earning him a yelping moan in response. Kagome felt the long hard length of him enter her ass from behind, just before those glorious fingers filled her from the front. She was sweating, panting, feeling the stinging intensity of her wounds increase in this new position. She wasn't sure how much she could take before she either passed out or expired from the pleasure.

His fangs grazed her neck, before he growled in her ear. "I want you to scream for me."

When she felt those razor sharp teeth begin to sink into her shoulder should could no longer hold back. Kagome started screaming, so loudly it was a wonder that no one came into the office running. She lifted her hands to her breasts and squeezed hard, still screaming. Sesshoumaru was fucking her senseless, torturing both cunt and ass with a recklessness that made her spiral into an orgasm that shook all the way down to her soul. They could be discovered any second and for the life of her she couldn't stop screaming.

Sesshoumaru pulled his mouth away from her shoulder. "MMmmm. Perfect," he hissed. She was still coming and the sensation around his cock was indescribable. "Hojo never saw this side of you did he?"

"No!" Her vocal chords had given out, and the word came out hoarse.

"He will never know what a tight little ass you have then," he teased as he pulled on her clit.

Kagome's world swam. "Oh God!" she gasped, but it sounded more like a wheeze.

He jerked her roughly by the hair again, and she babbled something unintelligible. "No. My name only, Kagome," he taunted, then he kissed her tenderly, so lovingly it almost made her come, then said softly, "Say it."

"Sesshoumaru," she croaked obediantly, barely coherent.

He snarled and pumped into her ass so brutally she saw stars. "Louder."

"Sesshoumaru!!" she moaned out forcefully, as loud has her poor voice would allow.

"Good," he breathed. He flicked her clit again and he felt her shudder. "You're close again aren't you? Ready to come for me again like a good little bitch?"

Kagome never believed she was multi-orgasmic, but the things he was doing to her had thrown her whole system into overdrive. It was like all the pent up passion she felt was streaming out of her body in a torrent that she couldn't control.

The words spilled out of her mouth in a rush. "Make me come. Please make me come."

Sesshoumaru pulled out of her ass and assaulted her still-twitching cunt before she finished muttering out the last word. His own orgasm was nipping at his heels and he fought down the instinct to switch to his true form. His hands covered her own, forcing her to continue to squeeze and knead her tits like clay. Kagome saw the magenta slashes on his wrists become jagged, heard the panting growls in her ears turn into a deep beastly howl. Then she felt him come, flooding her overstuffed pussy and igniting her own mind-blowing orgasm like a spark.

His climax was incredible and when she came shortly after he honestly thought he was going to black out. Sesshoumaru felt like every molecule in his body was vibrating and he had to wait more than a few moments before he was sure he could stand on his own.

"Gods Kagome," he panted against her neck. "Are you sure you're _not_ a demoness?"

Her throat hurt like hell, not to mention her back, shoulder, and God knows where else, but she couldn't hold back her laugh. "So what now?" she asked afterward, her short-lived smile turning into a serious line.

"Now?" he replied, slipping a sweaty tendril of hair away from her face. "You will send that email. I'm sure they know you will not return to the call at this point. Afterward, you will take the rest of the day off."

She quirked an eyebrow. "Oh I will, will I?"

He turned her to face him gently, and kissed her right on the valley between her breasts in a way that it made her writhe, then gasp as he nipped the underside of one of them.

"Indeed," he breathed over a pert nipple. "I still feel the tension in your body. I think you require a bit more relaxation."

Thank the Gods for private bathrooms and doubly-thank them for suit jackets. Her shirt and bra were demolished. Sesshoumaru looked less than impeccable as well. After they managed to put themselves back together, and doctor up Kagome's cuts and gashes, both of them practically ran to the elevators to avoid being spotted. Kagome was sure somebody saw or heard something as she huddled into her jacket. She couldn't fully relax again until they reached his car.

Eventually, after stopping twice to relieve a little more tension, they made it to his home. Both of them left no stone unturned once they were through the front door. They were relentless. The entryway, the bathroom, the kitchen, nearly every room set the stage for their day-long escapade. Oddly enough, they never made it to the bedroom. Kagome and Sesshoumaru ended up sweaty and exhausted on the living room floor.

Kagome eyed the couch, but she was too damn tired and sore to move. "Sesshoumaru?" she said, playing with a lock of his hair.

"Yes?" He sounded half-asleep.

She bit her lip. "I don't think I'm up for this."

He smirked. "I think you have done a remarkable job so far."

She tweaked his nipple and he let out a rather doggie-like yelp. It earned her a glare. "I'm serious," she said sternly. "I'm not into casual relationships, this is more your speed."

She rolled onto her back and stared at the ceiling. A moment passed and her next words sounded weak, weaker than she cared for. "I don't know if my heart can handle sex with no strings attached, Sesshoumaru."

He was honest with her because he couldn't be otherwise, not with her. "Kagome, you know how I feel about this subject. I'm not looking for romance, that is more _your_ speed." He turned his head to look at her. "Besides, sex changes nothing between us. Don't disappoint me by having regrets."

She knew that would be his response. It didn't surprise her and she wasn't angry. She had wanted this as much as he did after all. To suddenly expect that Sesshoumaru would want to make any kind of long-term commitment was asking for a miracle. Then why did she wish so badly for miracle at that moment?

"Yeah, I know, and I don't regret it," she sighed. "I just-I don't want to lose our friendship over this."

He heard the worry in her voice. There was no regret, not really, but she was concerned. In truth, so was he. Sesshoumaru repeated over and over in his mind that this was temporary, that these lingering feelings would soon pass because they always did. Love simply did not endure and all of this was merely lust. After they worked each other out of their systems, he was sure their friendship would resume as it did in the past.

He turned onto his side, leaning on an elbow, and replied quietly, "You won't." Then he kissed her firmly, just hard enough to sense her excitement begin to rise. "Now, where did we leave off?"


	3. Lunar Eclipse :: Fall

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one chapter edges more into the "E" rating than "M" I think, but you be the judge. :)

Kagome watched Sesshoumaru as he moved around the bedroom getting dressed. Their physical relationship had flourished, and he stayed at her house so often lately that he had taken over a good portion of the closet space. She joked that he had more shoes than she did. He countered by saying that a demon of his status always needed to keep up their appearance. Their levity with each other was a testament to the strength of their friendship, despite recent changes.

There was rarely a night that went by in the past three months where they didn't end up in bed together. Sesshoumaru had even surprised her again in the office and both of them were nearly caught screwing in one of the boardrooms. Their liaisons were as gratifying as they were frequent. However, good sex is where it all ended.

The cold hard truth was that they were not a couple. They didn't exactly _date._ Sure, they went out to lunch together, occasionally had dinner, but there was no romance. No sweet kisses, holding hands, or soft spoken declarations, nothing to indicate that there was anything deeper to be explored between them. It all seemed like playacting to Kagome, as if their friendship was just a facade to maintain so that they could satisfy their appetites in secret.

"Friends with benefits," Kagome often mused, but she found little humor in the thought. She felt like she was leading a double-life. To friends, family, and all other eyes they were seen as merely best friends, cordial and supportive. Only in private, behind closed doors, did they act like lovers. Only in the dark did they hold each other like there was no one else in the world.

Sesshoumaru seemed perfectly happy with the way things were. His life was unchanged, but hers felt upside down. Kagome knew the problem wasn't in her head, but her heart. Mentally she felt a strange sort of contentment with their arrangement, it was her heart that was far from tranquil with the situation.

He cared for her, probably more than anyone else, but she knew he didn't love her. At least not the way she wanted. That knowledge formed a disquiet within her that had begun to grow a little each day. Every time she heard a rumor about him or saw him talking casually with another woman, her thoughts would run rampant. Was that rumor about him true? Did he know that talkative woman's body as intimately as he knew her own? The questions and the doubts lanced through her heart like a spear every time.

Kagome knew she had no right to let jealousy consume her, but it was too late to stop the tide. She loved Sesshoumaru. Before, that love was limited to friendship. Now, it was something more, something so much more that it scared her.

Yesterday, at work, it all came to a head, rolling downhill like an avalanche ready to bury her whole. Kagome had gone into the women's restroom for a moment and two office ladies she didn't know soon walked in after, brimming with gossip.

"Did you hear the latest?" said one of the women, calling out to her friend from the stall.

"About what?" said the other.

"Kagura is sleeping with Sesshoumaru Takahashi."

Kagome stopped washing her hands and stood deathly still. Kagura was a demoness, a powerful one that was supposedly as intelligent as she was beautiful. Kagura was also considered to be as big of a catch in men's circles as Sesshoumaru was in women's.

Kagome heard toilet paper rustle before the women in the stall said, "Are you serious?"

"Yep. I even heard they had sex right in one of the boardrooms!"

"No!" The woman sounded incredulous.

"Yes!"

Both women laughed and Kagome cringed slightly. It seemed like the rumor mill was spinning out partial-truths. It was her and Sesshoumaru in that boardroom. Somehow word had gotten around that it was Kagura. Kagome leaned against the washbasin and closed her eyes as pain wrenched at her fragile heart once more. She knew that it was also highly possible that he dallied in more than one boardroom that day or perhaps another day.

"Lucky bitch," joked the second office lady.

"Tell me about it," replied the first sarcastically. "Sounds like it's getting serious too. They've been seen all over the place together."

 _"Seen all over the place with her in a way he never will with me,"_ Kagome added in her mind.

The first woman sighed wistfully. "Well, power to her. Lord knows he won't give the rest of us mere mortals the time of day."

Both women left soon after and Kagome found herself alone in the restroom once more. She took a look at herself in the mirror and quickly turned away. She didn't like what she saw. Instead of seeing a confident young woman like she expected, she saw a dithering possessive female wearing her heart on her sleeve.

Later that evening, Sesshoumaru picked up on her distress almost immediately. He was always moderately good at reading her, or anyone, but ever since they became intimate he was able to read her like a book. He confronted her the moment he walked through the front door.

"What is wrong?" he asked seriously. He had noticed her steady decline. When their relationship initially turned sexual she seemed hesitant then content. Over the last two weeks she had withdrawn into herself, becoming almost as despondent as she was just after ending her engagement.

"Nothing. People at work are getting on my nerves, that's all." She put her arms around him and smiled. The smile didn't reach her eyes. "I'm feeling better now though," she added, and rubbed her nose against his in an Eskimo kiss.

Sesshoumaru knew that there was more going on than annoying co-workers. Something was biting at her. Something to do with him, or rather, _them._ His feelings for Kagome had not diminished, as he promised she was still his friend. However, his additional feelings, those lingering strings that were more than innocent fondness and brief lust had also refused to lessen.

He desired her just as much now as he did on that rainy day in April, as he did perhaps even _before_ then. Sesshoumaru had already made up his mind to deal with what he considered to be a hazardous problem. He was obviously spending too much time with her, so he started spending it elsewhere.

He accepted her embrace and let the matter drop, putting his own arms around her waist. "Really?" he replied lightly, before letting his hands slide lower. "Well then, you get to be on top tonight."

Soon after there were no more words between them, only willing moans and feral growls. Kagome forced the doubts from her mind for the rest of the night and let the lure of the flesh fill all the empty spaces in her heart. Little did she know that he was doing the same.

Kagome continued to lay in bed watching Sesshoumaru run a brush through his hair. He always left that for last before leaving, a creature of habit.

"Are you free for dinner tomorrow? A new restaurant just opened nearby, a Thai place," she asked, finally rising from the sheets.

Sesshoumaru flicked a long lock of hair behind him. "No, I have another engagement."

Kagome's next words flew out of her mouth almost on impulse, "With Kagura?"

The bitterness in her voice was not lost on him. He looked at her through the mirror, and Kagome saw that slender eyebrow rise. "Yes, with her," he replied. He put his brush down. "What is the matter?"

She looked away from him and started to make her way to the bathroom. "Nothing important," she murmured.

"You are a terrible liar Kagome." He turned to face her, purposefully blocking her way to the bathroom. "Kagura is...convenient. The function we are attending will include demons only. Appearing with a human on my arm would complicate things."

Kagome's temper flared before she could force it back down. "Oh I'm sorry, I didn't realize I was a burden. And _after_ the function?"

So there it was, hanging in the air like a bad smell. She knew about Kagura, but what was worse is that she was angry about it as well. Now she wanted to know the full truth. Yet, the truth of the matter was that while he had been seeing Kagura, he had not slept with her. Sesshoumaru wasn't sure if he was ever going to. He didn't want Kagura, but she was what he needed. If he didn't rid himself of these feelings for Kagome, he honestly believed that the consequences would be dire.

"I haven't decided," he replied quietly. He didn't meet her eyes when he said it.

Kagome was too damn furious to cry and too disappointed to yell. She almost felt like laughing. "This relationship, our relationship, really means nothing to you does it? It's all just a way to get a nice fuck when you need it."

His voice was like chipped ice. "An interesting bit of hypocrisy don't you think? You have known from the start where we stood with one another. We are just friends Kagome, nothing more than that."

"Is that why you don't want to be seen with me in public?" she replied, and for a moment she thought her tears might win out after all.

Sesshoumaru's tone became colder still, laced in a layer of venom that she had only seen him use on his enemies. "Your jealousy is as tiresome as this conversation. Were you not the one worried about your precious career? Keeping this liaison behind close doors should please you. Fucking me certainly has."

Kagome lost the capacity to speak, and for a moment Sesshoumaru briefly wondered if this relationship would be his first true regret. "I thought we had an understanding," he said finally.

She straightened at that last statement. Kagome was still hurt and angry, but she wasn't unfair. She did know what she was getting into and it was about time she took some responsibility for her actions. It was time to wake up and face reality. This daydream, such as it was, was over.

"We do have an understanding. You're right," she said calmly, all hints of anger gone. She leaned up and kissed him on the cheek before walking around him to get to the bathroom. "Enjoy your time with Kagura, Sesshoumaru."

He grabbed her before her feet brushed the tile in the next room. "You are being ridiculous," he snapped. Suddenly it was his temper that was on the rise and he wasn't completely sure if he was becoming furious with her or with himself.

"I'm being realistic," she replied sharply before pulling away. "Don't call me tomorrow, I'll be busy."

When he left, Sesshoumaru slammed the front door with a little more force than usual. His aura preceded him all the way to work, barreling into his office like a typhoon. Every employee with a bit of sense steered clear of the boss. Those that lacked sense or good fortune, found themselves either fired, demoted...or worse.

The next day he canceled his date with Kagura, the day after he called Kagome, and called again the day after that. She was evading him and she knew damn well he absolutely hated to be ignored. Two weeks passed before he heard the news through the grapevine. Kagome was seeing someone else, and all Sesshoumaru saw after finding out, was red.

Then he did what he had not done in years, he hunted. Sesshoumaru knew her scent as well as he knew his own. When he smelled the scent of another with her, a male, the only thing that drove his thoughts was instinct. He watched as a man who looked strikingly similar to Kagome's old fiancee helped her into his car. Sesshoumaru followed them both as they made their way to a local festival. The demon's low growl was the stuff of nightmares when he saw the same male kiss her cheek, and his eyes seeped scarlet as he watched her smile in response.

The happy couple walked through the stalls in the food court. The Tsukimi, or Mid-Autumn Festival, was always one of Kagome's favorite times of the year. When Akitoki offered to take her, she jumped at the chance. She had been seeing Aki for a little over two weeks now and her first impression of him had been correct. He was kind, a refined gentleman with a great sense of humor. A truly nice guy who would make any woman happy.

Did Aki send fire through her veins with a word or a look like a demon she knew? Did he walk through her dreams like he owned them, forcing her to wake in the night on sweat-stained sheets with a moan on her lips? No, he didn't and Kagome forced herself to see beyond that. Where Sesshoumaru was a mix of wild passion encased in ice, Aki was all uncomplicated pleasure wrapped in warmth. She decided she needed a lot more basic affection in her life, and hoped her heart would heal in the process.

"Oooh, Tsukimi dango!" Kagome giggled, staring at a nearby stall. "Those are my guilty pleasure," she whispered conspiratorially.

"Do you want one?" said Aki slyly, already knowing the answer.

She hugged his arm. "Are you kidding? Get me two."

"I'll be right back." Then he kissed her hand before walking over to stand on line.

She waved at Aki as he stood waiting for their food and he smiled back at her. Then her pleasant evening with Aki ended with a familiar sensation, a prickly electric charge to the air that was the personal calling card of only one. She couldn't see him, but she felt him all around her, like a predator circling his prey.

Kagome kept her voice even. "Hello Sesshoumaru."

He entered her field of vision then, walking out from the darkness into the bright light of the festival like a phantom. His voice was colder than she had ever heard it. "You refuse to speak with me in order to go on a date with _that?"_

All her senses told her to run, but she stood her ground, steeling herself with a glare. "Akitoki is not a _that."_ She looked him up and down, and her voice turned chiding. "What's with the attitude? I thought our relationship was casual?"

His eyes narrowed and she kept herself from backing away. "Get rid of him," he said lowly, promising pain if he wasn't obeyed.

"No!" she shouted. "I'm not putting aside my needs for you Sesshoumaru. You've made it crystal clear that you don't want a serious relationship. Well, I do."

"Kagome?" said Aki, leaving the stall after seeing a tall man approach his girlfriend. From the looks of things he was a demon and not the harmless kind. "Is everything alright here?"

Sesshoumaru never looked away from Kagome, but his words were all for Aki. "Human, you have ten seconds to disappear."

She glared at the demon in front of her. His eyes were tinged red, not good, but she refused to back off. "Don't you threaten him! You have some fucking nerve! Are you bored with Kagura already? Is she not _convenient_ anymore?"

Still Sesshoumaru's eyes never left her and she saw them turn a deeper shade of red in a blink. "Now you have five seconds."

The demon's voice was soothing calm, but Aki felt his skin crawl. To his credit, he stood by his date.

"It's alright Aki," Kagome sighed. She wasn't going to get Aki killed over this. "I'll meet you back at the car, ok?"

"Are you sure?" he said.

 _"No,"_ she answered in her mind. Instead she said, "Yes. Please go." Kagome waited for her date to leave her sight before she turned on Sesshoumaru with a voice colder than his. "Now _you_ have ten seconds."

He took her arm and she immediately tried to pull away. "Do you want the audience we have gathered to hear all of our dirty laundry?" he said sharply.

She looked around her and sure enough there was a small crowd of gawkers staring at them both. In fairness, they were making quite a scene. Kagome let him take her to a secluded area on a side street, it looked like a small alleyway.

Sesshoumaru's eyes lost some of the crimson glow, but not all of it, and his voice was filled with contempt. "I thought you were above petty paybacks Kagome."

"What are you talking about?" she snapped.

He quirked his head to the side and his tone never rose above an arrogant whisper. "One rumor or two about me and another woman, and now you are ready to spread your legs for some carbon-copy of a former love?" Kagome saw his markings begin to grow jagged and she knew that this time it wasn't from pleasure. "Tell me," he continued, "If Hojo were here, would you fuck him too just to spite me?"

She slapped him and her own actions actually shocked her. Sesshoumaru's face barely moved from the hit, but a loud bloodthirsty growl filled the air between them. All too soon she found her back up against the wall of the alley. Kagome felt cold brick against the palm of her hands.

"Your false indignation cannot fool me Kagome," he said before leaning into her, almost close enough to touch. Then he inhaled deeply, closing his glowing ruby eyes briefly as he did so. "I can smell it you know. The excitement mixing with your fear. It pleases me."

"Fuck you," she spat.

He laughed at that, that rare little laugh that repulsed and thrilled her at the same time. "Maybe I should. Maybe I will," he said softly, running a claw down her front, tearing the fabric with ease as he looked straight into her eyes. "Tell me you don't want me Kagome. Say it and I'll go. Push me away and you will never see me again."

Kagome knew that he meant it. If she turned him away, told him to go to hell, he would never darken her door again. She hated him in that moment. She hated the fact that he seemed to have such a hold over her, both body and soul. She hated that even now the only thing he seemed to want from her wasn't forgiveness but surrender. But most of all, she hated the fact that despite all he had said and done, she still loved him.

"You cannot say it, can you?" he said after a time.

Kagome felt those long claws slice further into her clothing before Sesshoumaru ripped off her skirt with a snarl. Her face was cherry red with anger and not just a little fear, but he was correct in what he said earlier. So unerringly right that she felt awash in shame. There was excitement there as well, a surge of desire that only he was able to force out of her.

Sesshoumaru didn't bother undressing her completely. He wanted so badly to be inside her right now, to feel her quiver around him in fear and passion. She felt the rough fabric of his jeans against her center before she heard a zipper unfurl.

He nipped at her neck and his words were as taunting as they were sultry, "MMMmmm, I know you love this. You love _me._ Is that not true?"

Kagome clawed at him in response with her blunt human nails. She began shouting at him while at the same time pulling him closer. "No!! I hate you! I fucking hate you!"

He was so hard and she was only just a little wet. When he moved inside her it actually hurt. But the pain between her legs was nothing compared to the havoc on her upper thighs as he tilted her pelvis to just the right angle to penetrate her deeper.

"Liar," he snarled, then he clawed up her thighs to her ass until his long-fingered hands and the pale skin of her lower body became slick with blood.

The sex was sloppy and rough. Unlike all the other times they had been together, there was no practiced finesse to his movements. It was all ardent pounding, nearly bestial in its intensity, combined with mind-numbing agony. He tore into her like an animal, carving bloody grooves into her ass all the while...and she loved every second of it. Kagome felt her head bang against the brick wall behind her with each thrust and the more lucid portion of her battered psyche thought she might actually get knocked unconscious.

Before she knew it, her orgasm was on top of her with another one building behind it. Kagome squeezed her legs around him for all she was worth, yelling out at the top of her lungs, "Oh yes! Sesshoumaru, I love you! Oh God, I love you!!"

Sesshoumaru came almost at the same second she did. This time he actually began to partially transform, and for moment elongated fangs and the beginnings of a snout filled her field of vision.

"Oh fuck, Kagome!" He voice was barely recognizable, and the guttural quality of it propelled her full-force into her second orgasm.

She came hard. Harder than she thought physically possible. All she could do was whimper as her body seemed to jerk and move around his. Sesshoumaru wasn't in any better shape. It took every ounce of his willpower to keep them both from sliding down the brick wall to the filthy street of the alley.

A minute passed, then three, and Kagome found her voice first. "This doesn't fix things between us, Sesshoumaru. Sex doesn't make it all better. I need more than lust and if you can't give me more than that, then we need to end it here."

Sesshoumaru didn't answer immediately. There was no way he could end it. He had already tried, tried and failed. By the Gods, he had failed so miserably he hunted her down in order to drag her back to him. If she had walked away with that Hojo look-a-like, he was damn near positive he would have lost control completely.

Despite his deep desire to be with her and only her, he honestly believed he was doomed. One day his feelings for her would cause his downfall, probably even kill him as it had his father. If that was what was fated, then so be it.

A concerned voice suddenly came from the end of the alley. "Kagome?"

Kagome and Sesshoumaru both looked to the side, and sure enough Aki was standing there looking a little more than confused. She took too long and he had obviously come back to look for her.

She covered her face in embarrassment. Her demon lover was still buried between her legs, holding her up against a dirty brick wall in the middle of a seedy alley as her date looked on. It didn't take much thought to figure out what they had been up to.

It was Sesshoumaru who replied, addressing Aki in a cool clear baritone, "My girlfriend is busy..."

Kagome's head shot up from her hands and she gaped at him. Did she just imagine that, or did he just say 'my girlfriend' aloud?

He smirked at her and added, "Indefinitely."


	4. Snowbirds :: Winter

Kagome sat under the awning on the back porch, watching the snow fall lazily to the ground. She always preferred the colder seasons. It seemed like everything slowed down to a more manageable pace. People seemed to mellow a bit more, the animals hibernated, even the Earth appeared to kick up its heels to settle in for a nice long nap.

They say that every snowflake is unique, but at their core they are essentially the same, merely tiny frozen crystals. After Sesshoumaru's declaration at the festival, their relationship was unique in the eyes of many, but at its center it was the same. They were a devoted couple, vigorous lovers, and at the core of their relationship, still the best of friends.

This was not to say that everything was perfect, some days they fought like lions...

"Kagome, you _will_ do this or I _will_ make you do it," Sesshoumaru growled. He flexed his claws in agitation. All she had to do was obey. Why was that so unreasonable?

Kagome threw her phone on to the glass table next to them and a tiny crack formed on the surface. "You know what?" she yelled. "Why don't you go to hell!"

He crossed his arms and said in that apathetically bored tone he knew she despised, "I have already been. It was rather dull."

...Other days they humped like rabbits...

"Woah," Kagome panted, watching the world sway as she swung gently from side to side.

Sesshoumaru cradled her from behind, licking the welts on her skin as she hung partially suspended from their four poster bed.

She wriggled. "Uh, can you untie me?" He didn't answer, only continued to place tiny licks on her slick skin. She twitched a little to the side as much as the ropes would allow to stare at him with pleading eyes. "Come on Sesshoumaru, I gotta pee!"

It almost sounded like he sighed in annoyance as he cut the bonds that held her with a quick well-placed swipe of his claws. Kagome fell to the mattress with a rather loud "Oomph."

She jiggled again and then once more before saying sheepishly, "Sesshoumaru?" He gave her a questioning look. "Could you carry me to the bathroom? I'm too sore to move."

...And on a rare day they even acted like lovebirds.

Kagome sat in Sesshoumaru's lap tracing the crescent moon on his brow, tickling her fingers with his bangs. "What does this mean?" she asked quietly. "You never told me."

He closed his eyes, briefly lost in the pleasure of her caress. "Unlike my other markings I was not born with it. It was placed on my skin by magics I still do not fully understand." He looked at her, but her eyes were still focused on his markings. "It serves as a mark of distinction. It is also a warning."

He saw her frown a bit before she replied. "A warning?"

Sesshoumaru shifted her to a more comfortable position on his lap, so she straddled him on the couch. "The times might have changed Kagome, but I am still royal, still a lord. My title has meaning in demon-kind and at times I had to protect it."

She nodded. "I understand."

He knew that she truly did not. Kagome would never know how much blood he had spilled over the millennia, how many people, guilty and innocent, who had found death at his hands, or how much he had secretly enjoyed it.

"So, does this," she kissed the mark to punctuate the point, "mean I'm your lady?" she said lightly.

He gave her a small smirk, that mildly arrogant grin that he seemed to reserve just for her. "Naturally."

There were so many of these little moments. Tiny snapshots in their minds that either faded in intensity or grew more vibrant over time.

Kagome continued to sit in the cold, occasionally letting a snowflake fall into the palm of her hand. Sesshoumaru recently returned from a very long business trip. He phoned whenever he had the opportunity, but at times it wasn't often enough for her liking. When too much time between calls lapsed, those old nagging doubts and the ugly face of jealousy would flare within her.

Then she would hear Sesshoumaru's voice, calm and knowing, on the answering machine. His words were always the same, "Do not worry over me Kagome. I know you are, do not deny it. I will never leave you...you complete me." She would hear him hang up afterward, not bothering with anything as mundane as a "Goodbye" at the end and her suspicions would melt away like the small particles of ice that drifted onto her hand. He knew her too well and she loved him all the more because of it.

The loneliness that poked and prodded Kagome while Sesshoumaru was gone only served to unsettle him on his trip. He nearly cut the business negotiations short in his desire to return. He forced himself to remain and see the talks through instead.

Sesshoumaru would be the first to admit that his past with women was sordid, to put it mildly, and Kagome was indeed the first female he had ever remained faithful to. Regardless, she needed to learn to trust him. He also needed to maintain the distance between them in order to relieve his own lingering doubts. To remind himself that he was not the foolish son of an equally foolish father, that no matter how long or how far they were apart, she would never deceive or seek to destroy him.

When Sesshoumaru came back she practically tackled him at the airport, much to the amused gazes of a few passersby in the baggage claim area.

She buried her hands in the long silver fall of his hair as she held him tightly. "I missed you," she whispered fiercely, kissing his cheek. Then she grinned. "It's not your birthday is it?"

"I can tell," he replied, then gave her a smirk, "and no."

She kissed him hard then, all her pent up longing toppling out from her mouth into his. At that moment there was no uncertainty or petty afterthoughts. She believed beyond all doubt that his heart belonged to only her, and he admitted fully, for the first time, that she would never betray him.

"I love you," she said, loud enough to make a few casual listeners in the airport giggle and murmur.

Sesshoumaru caressed her cheek and she sighed, still smiling. "I know," he replied.

He had yet to say the words back to her, but he didn't have to. Kagome saw love in his eyes as he watched her when he thought she didn't notice. She felt love when he kissed her forehead softly when he thought she was asleep.

Later that night, after an interesting few hours in the living room for old time's sake, Kagome watched him sit up and admired the view. Pale moon-touched skin over sleek muscles slashed in vivid magenta. Staring at her demon lover naked would never cease to speed her heart.

Sesshoumaru seemed to be staring at nothing, not paying much attention to anything. Usually he would be stroking her skin or pulling her to him to fall asleep. His current mood was unusual.

"You look like you're thinking about something a little too hard," Kagome said softly after a while.

He seemed to snap out of whatever musings he had become lost in. "Not thinking so much as remembering," he replied, looking down at her.

She sat up as well and leaned against his arm. "Oh?"

Kagome saw something in his citrine gaze flicker and his next words gave her pause. "My father died on this day."

"Do you miss him?" she asked carefully. Kagome decided to tread lightly, this was a subject he had always refused to talk about in the past.

Sesshoumaru quirked his head to the side, his version of a shrug. "There is not much to tell. He abandoned me and my mother to protect a whore. Even in death he is not exactly in my good graces."

She had seen old photos of his mother. The demoness looked rather eerily like him, or it should be said _he_ looked like _her._ Kagome also knew he had a younger brother, or half-brother, somewhere. Sesshoumaru never spoke about him either, never even uttered a name, as if he were as taboo a subject as the father.

She stroked his arm, not to tease, but to comfort. "So why are you so upset?"

"Before he...fell, he said something to me." Sesshoumaru looked at her again and for a second Kagome thought she saw a true sadness glimmer within his amber-golden eyes. "He asked me to forgive him."

"Did you?" She shifted and her words were patiently serious. " _Do_ you?"

"No," he replied lowly, so low she almost didn't hear him. He pulled her to him then and after she lay snug and cozy in his arms he said, "But at least now I understand him." She fell asleep like that, with him holding her, and in the morning she found herself in bed with him beside her and spent the early hours watching him sleep.

Kagome smiled as she watched another snowflake glide towards her palm. Sesshoumaru would be home in a short while, she should be getting dressed. They planned to have dinner with Miroku and Sango today. It had taken all of her verbal skills to convince Sesshoumaru to go. He didn't much care for Sango and the grudging demon had never _quite_ forgotten that it was Miroku who introduced her to Akitoki. Well, he would be pleased to find out soon that he was off the hook.

As if she summoned him with her thoughts, Kagome felt that oddly calming ripple of his power and she knew that he was standing in the doorway long before he started to speak. "What are you doing out here?" he said, not bothering to hide his annoyance. "You were supposed to be ready. I thought-"

"I'm pregnant," she said quickly, interrupting him.

A few seconds passed and it felt like hours. Kagome didn't turn to face him, she just continued to look at the pure white snow as it fell from the sky. She knew he had not walked away, she could still sense him.

She took a deep breath and said, "Did you hear me? I said-"

"I heard you." His voice sounded distant and the tone made her turn to the doorway.

Kagome had known him for a long time and until then she had never seen him surprised. After another minute passed she experienced another first. She had never seen him truly smile...until then.

She had always thought he was attractive, that was no secret. When he smiled at her, an honest smile that lifted the features of an already ridiculously handsome face, she knew what it was to gaze upon true beauty and for an instant she forgot how to breathe.

Sesshoumaru didn't say anything else until he took her hand, walking out from under the awning, taking her with him into that snowy backyard. She saw him tilt his face up to the snow for a moment and the snowflakes seemed to shimmer against his hair, making him a vision of pure white and silver.

"I love you," he said, still smiling, meaning every word of it.

"I know," she replied, and realized she was crying. She suddenly felt a little silly for doing so. Maybe she was getting hormonal a tad early? She laughed at the thought and before he could stop her she was climbing up his body, wrapping her legs around him firmly just like she had on that fateful rainy day.

He started to kiss her almost on instinct as they began to replay snatches of that past memory under the falling snow. But this time the tears that fell from her eyes were filled with joy not pain and Mother Nature showered them both not with her grief but her blessing.

Kagome was the one to pull away first with a strange little grin on her face, and for once Sesshoumaru could not gauge her thoughts. "What are you thinking about?" he asked against her lips.

Kagome's small grin brightened to a smile and she kissed him, tender and sweet before she answered. "Miracles."

**~ Fin ~**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> YAY! The end and another challenge completed!
> 
> Good? Bad? Meh? LOL. At any rate, I hoped folks enjoyed it because I had fun writing it. Even if you didn't enjoy it I still had fun writing it! :D
> 
> Thank you for reading and thanks so much for the reviews. :)


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